The Girl in the Forest
by Salem Strider
Summary: Chapter Eight: A Suprise Ending?
1. Sweet Melodies

Sesshomaru walked through the blackening forest as the sun was setting. He was very cautious so as not to make a sound: He was sneaking up on...On who?   
  
Earlier, he had heard a girl's voice coming from above him. When he looked up he saw nothing but the swinging branch that someone had jumped off of. "Peculiar," he thought out loud as he walked away. Soon, he heard the same voice singing the same song just off to the side and below him in a ditch. When he looked down, the only thing he could see was a tiny glimpse of a shape scuttling off through the bushes. It went on like that for a while. But now he had her...  
  
She was sitting in a small clearing, leaning up against a rock. She had short red hair and big pinkish-red eyes that could stare into your soul. Her figure was light and graceful and she wore a pink top with the sleeves torn off just below the shoulder, her white skirt would hang down to her knees were she standing. Her pink cat's ears twitched as she heard the leaves crunch on the ground. She looked up at the looming figure that had been watching her for sometime now without her notice. Sesshomaru didn't know exactly what compelled him to follow this girl, all he knew was that it was what his gut was telling him to do.   
  
The girl's eyes widened. "You're the one that's been following me!" she said in a voice that was enchantingly sweet.   
  
Sesshomaru just stared at her. She was beautiful - The most beautiful thing he'd ever seen. "I...I wasn't following you. You just seem to be everywhere," he lied.  
  
She looked down at the green grass that was glimmering in the moonlight. "Well, either way...you're staring."  
  
He nervously turned his eyes away from the girl. He looked up, he looked down, he looked to his left and to his right, he looked again at the girl. She turned her head toward him and he quickly looked up at the moon.   
  
She giggled. "I'm Kiara," she said. "You look like you don't mean any harm...So what're doing out here this late?"  
  
"That's a question I could ask you," he replied. "By the way, my name is Sesshomaru." 


	2. The House in the Tree

"I live here...Nearby, actually. I like being in the forest. It just feels so free. That's why I'm out here. What's your excuse?" Kiara stood up.  
  
Sesshomaru looked at her nervously, "Alright, maybe I was following you. It's not like you'll do anything about it!"  
  
She took a step back, "Woah! Don't get all worked up. I'm just playing with you?"  
  
"I knew that."  
  
Kiara studied Sesshomaru over. "Since you're here and it's late, why don't you come over to my house. It's not too far north."  
  
"Are you saying I can't take care of myself?! I go out all the time at night!" Sesshomaru boasted, stubbornly.  
  
"Fine...Be that way. I only thought you might like to eat dinner before you went on your way. After all, you must be tired after following me all day," said the girl, her ears twitching in delight.  
  
"Oh...uh...yeah, sure," Sesshomaru just shook his head as he thought to himself 'Damn fool you are. Pull yourself together! It's not like you've never seen a girl before!'  
  
He followed Kiara to her house. It was actually just a house made inside a giant tree's trunk, but it was the best house he'd ever been in. The walls were covered in murals of faeries dancing under the moon. On one wall, to the right of the table Sesshomaru was sitting at, there was a shelf. On that shelf was a glass case in which a magnificent butterfly collection was displayed. On the wall opposite, there was a bookcase filled with books of all kinds.   
  
"So..." Sesshomaru said, looking around, "Did you paint all this?"  
  
"Yep," Kiara replied proudly as she stood over the stove cooking, "Seems like the forest has always inspired my kind."  
  
He looked at Kiara and asked, "Not to be rude, but just what are you anyway?"  
  
"Nekojin," she replied, not looking up from the chicken she was preparing.  
  
"That explains the ears. Why no tail?" Sesshomaru asked.  
  
"My father was human," she said.  
  
'A half-breed?' Sesshomaru thought. 'She's a half-breed?! A dirty, good-for-nothing half-breed! But....She's just so perfect. Who cares if she isn't pureblood of anything?' "Oh," he replied after a long silence. "Do you have any siblings?"  
  
"No," replied the girl joyfully, "I'm an only child - spoiled-rotten to the core! What about you?"  
  
"None that are worthy of mentioning."  
  
Kiara wondered what he meant by that, but she decided to shrug it off. She picked up the food and turned toward the table. "Hope you like chicken!" 


	3. She Must Be an Angel

After a lot of chicken and a lot of talk, Kiara offered that Sesshomaru stay the night. "It's late out and I really don't think it's safe," she said.  
  
"I told you earlier that I can take care of myself," He said defensively but then realized exactly what the girl was getting at. "But it IS late," he added, "I guess I will stay."  
  
"Okay," said Kiara, "The spare bedroom is right in there," she pointed to a doorway.  
  
Sesshomaru looked around. He didn't see any other rooms. "Where do you sleep?"  
  
"In there," Kiara pointed to the same room.  
  
The startled, yet somewhat happy Sesshomaru said, "You, you mean we'll be sleeping in the same room?"  
  
"Yep."  
  
"But in different beds right?"  
  
"Yes, silly. What did you think, that I'd have a stranger stay in my own bed?" She said laughing.  
  
"It could happen..." he turned away, embarrassed.  
  
Kiara walked into her room and closed the door, she mumbled, "Stay out there," to Sesshomaru. She began to undress so she could get ready for bed.   
  
Sesshomaru didn't hear what she had said so he walked up to the door and knocked, "What did you say?"  
  
Kiara had made her way into the bathroom, buck naked, and she put her clothes in the hamper. She left the door open since her bedroom door was closed. She didn't hear Sesshomaru at all.  
  
He knocked again and when there was no answer, he opened the door just a crack. All he could see was the wall. He asked his question again, "What did you say?" But she didn't hear him...She was in the shower. He opened the door a little bit more and asked again. Still no answer. He swung the door wide open and his eyes widened and his face reddened.  
  
Kiara let out a shriek as she stepped out of the shower. "I told you to stay out there!" she yelled.  
  
"That's what I was trying to find out!" He cried, embarrased again.  
  
She quickly wrapped a towel around her naked body. Sesshomaru just stood there dazed. She ushered him out of the room and closed the door, "It's common sense!" She yelled. Then she thought better and opened the door so that he could hear her clearly and repeated her words.   
  
Even with her yelling, which really wasn't meant to be mean, all Sesshomaru could think was 'She must be an angel.'  
  
Kiara came out of her room with a satin nightgown on and Sesshomaru, who was sitting at the table, made a tongue-tied apology at which Kiara couldn't help giggling at. "It's okay, really. I should have known better than to leave my bathroom door open. Who knows, maybe subconscienciously I wanted you to see me," she stopped. There was dead silence as both Kiara and Sesshomaru blushed.   
  
"Well, this night certainly couldn't get any more embarrassing," he said.  
  
"No, it really couldn't."  
  
"Err...I don't mean to sound perverted, but you have a beautiful body," Sesshomaru offered.  
  
"Uh...thanks?" Kiara blushed. "Hey, if you got to see me, I should get to see you!"  
  
He looked at her with suprise as she said that. "I...uh...I..." he stammered.  
  
"It's only fair," she said.  
  
"I suppose you're right," he replied quietly.  
  
"But...that can wait. I'm dead tired. I'm off to bed and it's about time you ought to be too," she said. "But if you want to stay up I have plenty of books you can read."  
  
Sesshomaru nodded and watched Kiara walk into her room. He sat where he was for a while and reflected on everything that had happened since he first heard the girl singing: The chase, the clearing, the house, the dinner, the nakedness. He thought about that part for a while. But not in a perverted way, he just thought her body was wonderful and he so wished he could become one with it. Soon, he got tired and he decided he would go to bed. He opened the door to Kiara's room and crept into the spare bed.  
  
It was a very comfortable bed with soft blankets and silky pillows. He stared into the darkness, trying his best not to look over at Kiara...But soon enough, his eyes wandered over to the sleeping maiden. His last thought before he fell into a deep sleep filled with wonderful dreams was, 'She must be an angel.' 


	4. Sesshomaru's Dream

Sesshomaru stood on a cliff, staring up at the moon like he might howl at it at any moment. The sky was clear and the stars were bright. The wind was blowing in Sesshomaru's long hair. He stood there for the longest time when he got the notion he was being watched. He turned and looked around.  
  
"Who's there?" he called.  
  
No one answered.   
  
"I know someone is here. Show yourself!" he called again.  
  
Just then, a large shadowy figure stepped out from the brush that Sesshomaru was turned around and looking at. The figure slowly began to take shape under the moon. First, you could make out pointed ears and long hair. Then, you could see the fit shape of it's body. Next, you could make out it's face.  
  
"Inuyasha," Sesshomaru said, "I knew someone was watching me."  
  
"Woah....Wait a minute. I wasn't watching anyone! I was just walking around."  
  
"Don't lie, you cretin!" He replied, harshly.  
  
"I'm not lying!" Inuyasha said, slowly beginning to anger.  
  
Sesshomaru was becoming equally as mad, "Yes,....you...are!"  
  
That was it. That was the last straw. Inuyasha knocked Sesshomaru down within a matter of seconds. But he quickly gained his balance and got back up. He gave Inuyasha a series of kicks and punches, feeling no need to use his blade. Inuyasha fell down and was knocked back a few feet. Now, Sesshomaru drew his blade and prepared to kill Inuyasha. As he rose the blade, Inuyasha' s arm shot up and grabed it. Then, he kicked Sesshomaru in the legs, making him fall and breaking his legs. Inuyasha stood up and gave Sesshomaru a kick in his side causing Sesshomaru to try to pull himself up on his broken legs and stagger to his right for a few moments, then fall back down. The edge of the cliff was just an inch away. Inuyasha gave Sesshomaru a third kick and he fell...But, he grabbed on to the edge of the cliff.   
  
He hung there, in midair for what seemed like forever. Inuyasha rose the blade he'd taken from Sesshomaru, stepping on his fingers which were clinging on to the side of the cliff. Just when it seemed like all hope was lost, he heard Inuyasha scream as another, smaller figure appeared. What was happening? 


	5. Kiara's Dream

Kiara looked out from the brush to see Sesshomaru standing on the cliff, staring at the moon. She had followed him all the way here and...What was this? A new figure appeared by Sesshomaru, who said his name was Inuyasha.   
  
She watched as they began to madden and started to fight. She watched as Inuyasha stole the blade from Sesshomaru. She saw how Sesshomaru had fallen off the cliff. She couldn't bear it any longer. She had to help.  
  
She crept up behind this dog-eared man called Inuyasha and gave him one push with all of her might. She prayed it was enough. Inuyasha was standing near the edge of the cliff, on Sesshomaru's fingers...He toppled over the edge, nearly crushing Sesshomaru, but at least he hadn't fallen.  
  
Sesshomaru dangled there for serveral seconds before he saw who had pushed Inuyasha. He let out a sigh as Kiara pulled him up onto the cliff. "I was the one who was watching you," she admitted.  
  
"Oh," Sesshomaru said, "Couldn't do any harm to get rid of Inuyasha anyway..."  
  
She wondered just who Inuyasha was and was about to ask when she decided against it. She figured it was impolite with all the pain Sesshomaru must be in.  
  
He lie there on dirt, pain swelling up inside him and pulsating throughout his skin. Kiara bent over him and asked if he was alright.  
  
"Yeah...I'm sure I'll be fine," grunted Sesshomaru.  
  
"Oh, you poor thing. I can't carry you back to my house, so I guess I'll stay with you here," Kiara replied.  
  
"Mmmm," was the only response she got.  
  
She lowered her face to his own and brushed her lips against his. Then, she kissed him in the most passionate way.   
  
All of a sudden, Sesshomaru went numb as she kissed him. When she slowly pulled away from him, the numbness subsided and with it, the pain. He felt no more pain, only pleasure. He stood up, his legs seemed to have healed. Kiara stood up.  
  
Sesshomaru took her arm and they walked through the brush and into the forest where they strolled for a long time in silence. Soon, they found themselves at a beautiful glittering lake. The moonlight was enchanting and the sweetness of the air filled the place. 


	6. Dances by the Lake

Kiara looked down into the shimmering lake. A picture perfect image of Kiara and Sesshomaru was reflected back at her. She looked at Sesshomaru and he looked at her. The night sky was clear and the moments seemed to pass very slowly.   
  
Sesshomaru leaned in toward Kiara to give her a kiss, her receiving the kiss graciously.   
  
"This...This is just a dream, isn't it?" Kiara realized.  
  
"Maybe so, but it's my dream too," Sesshomaru replied.  
  
"Oh. So your not just in my mind?"  
  
"No, and your not just in mine."  
  
Sesshomaru reached around Kiara's waist and began to dance with her under the moonlight. They danced for seemingly hours until Kiara got tired and curled herself up by a tree. "I'm so tired," she yawned.  
  
"I am too," Sesshomaru said.  
  
Kiara closed her eyes and drifted off into a deep sleep. Sesshomaru bent over and gave Kiara a kiss on her forehead. Then, he sat himself down by Kiara and leaned his head against the tree and he too fell asleep. 


	7. Sesshomaru Gets Nekked

Kiara woke up and got out of her bed. The sun was shining through the big glass window. She looked down to see Sesshomaru still asleep. "What a dream," she said to herself.   
  
She sat down on the edge of her bed and tried to figure out what to do. She didn't want him to leave. But she didn't want to keep him from anything. 'I'll just keep to myself. It'll be better that way,' she thought. She got up and went into the kitchen to cook breakfast. No matter how much she tried to concentrate on making the food, her mind kept wandering back to her dream. "Was it real? Was he really there?"  
  
"Was what real?" said a voice from behind her.   
  
Sesshomaru appeared in the kitchen. He had changed out of his normal clothes into a black t-shirt and jeans. He had been carrying them with him all this time. What a strange new look for Sesshomaru.  
  
"Err...Nothing," she shrugged it off.  
  
He knew she meant the dream, but if she didn't want to talk about it, he wouldn't force her. He walked to the table and sat down. 'Maybe I could stay here,' he thought, 'but I don't want to be intrusive.'  
  
"Breakfast's served," Kiara said quietly.  
  
"Thanks," Sesshomaru replied as he looked down at the burnt eggs, black toast and ashy hash browns.  
  
"Um...I've had a lot on my mind," she said as she watched Sesshomaru try to eat the impossible. "That's why the food's so..."  
  
"Delicious?" Sesshomaru offered politely.  
  
"Not exactly the word I was looking for....More like crappy," she said.  
  
"Sure, last night's dinner was no match, but it's good," he lied, trying to make her feel better.  
  
"You don't have to lie, I know it's horrible."  
  
"Oh, well in that case...," he ran outside and spit out the food.   
  
Kiara just looked at him.  
  
Later that morning, after breakfast, Sesshomaru and Kiara sat outside in the clearing that they had met in the day before. They talked about this and that, about stupid things, about important things, anything to keep them together for just a moment longer. Finally, neither one could bear it and they blurted out at the same time that they couldn't just leave each other.   
  
After a long silence, Sesshomaru said, "So...Can I stay with you?"  
  
"Yeah," Kiara said.  
  
Sesshomaru put his arms around Kiara when she walked over to him and sat down on his lap. He felt a little nervous. "So what about that...veiw...last night?" Kiara asked.  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"You know, when you walked in on me...naked?"  
  
"Oh, yeah. That. What about it?" He knew perfectly well what about it.  
  
"You know. Don't act all stupid!" (See told you.)  
  
"Ha...Um...You wanna see me? Is that it?"  
  
Kiara nodded sheepishly.  
  
"Here?" Sesshomaru asked.  
  
"You ask a lot of stupid questions, you know," Kiara smiled.  
  
Sesshomaru stared blankly.  
  
"No not here!" She cried. "Come on. Let's go back to the house!"  
  
She got up and bolted off, Sesshomaru chasing after her.  
  
When Sesshomaru finally caught up with Kiara, she was inside the house, in her bedroom, sitting on the edge of her bed. "So, let's see you," she giggled.  
  
"Now?" he asked.  
  
"Yes, now," she replied.  
  
"Err...Kay." Sesshomaru removed his shirt, showing his six-pack abs. "There you go," he said.  
  
"The whole thing," Kiara replied.  
  
Sesshomaru looked at her. "No?"   
  
"Yes."  
  
"Please, no?"  
  
"Please, yes."  
  
"....I...I..."  
  
"Well if you aren't going to do it yourself, I'll come over there and do it for you," Kiara said. And sure enough, she walked right over to him and unzipped his fly and pulled his pants down, revealing white boxers with red hearts on them. "Nice boxers," she laughed.  
  
She pushed him down on to the bed and his pants off, making Sesshomaru blush bright red. She decided it would just be rude to go any further...and kind of weird too. She looked at him. Once again, there was a long silence.   
  
Sesshomaru blinked, he didn't know what to do now.   
  
Apparently, Kiara had decided on something...She took off her top and revealed a pink bra made out of lace. She took off her skirt to show a pair of little pink underwear.  
  
Sesshomaru blushed again, but Kiara's face stayed straight. She climbed on top of him. 


	8. A Strange Ending

....*Thwap!*   
  
"Ow! What was that for?" asked Inuyasha, rubbing his head from Miroku's blow.  
  
"What was that for? You realize that Shippo is present?" shouted Miroku.  
  
"Oh...yeah...hehe. I guess I forgot that part. I must really get into my stories," he replied.  
  
"Why did you stop him? It was a good story," Shippo whined.  
  
"Oh, no it wasn't!" Miroku picked up Shippo and moved away from Inuyasha, "You realize that you died in the story right, Inuyasha?"  
  
"Yeah...But I had to have me in the story somewhere!" 


End file.
